Baby’s Holiday Sleep Schedule

This year’s holidays with your little one will be filled with cute baby Santa outfits, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and presents galore. But that’s not all the Christmas season will bring. Exhaustion-fueled meltdowns, hanger (anger resulting from prolonged hunger due to an erratic feeding schedule), and overstimulation from new family members or toys may also make an appearance.

The good news? The holiday season with Baby doesn’t have to feel like “the nightmare before Christmas” if you prioritize your baby’s sleep during the holidays. This will make for a happier baby — and a happier you — amid the holiday hullabaloo. Let’s explore the top tips for keeping your baby on their sleep schedule when Kris Kringle threatens to disrupt it.

1. Give Your Child Sleep-Inducing Foods 

You may be tempted to introduce your child to sweets galore this holiday season. It is Christmas, after all. Sugar cookies and candy canes may make the holidays seem sweeter, but they have salty consequences. These delights might hinder sleep by making your child more hypervigilant or giving them tummy troubles. Other foods may help your child doze off more quickly and deeply at night or during naptime. Choose the following items to help your baby stay on their sleep schedule:

• Apples
• Oatmeal
• Rice

Apples contain a high amount of magnesium, which helps the muscles relax. Oatmeal is rich in melatonin, a hormone that makes you fall asleep quickly. Rice is also an excellent sleep-inducing food, so it can help your baby enjoy quality sleep faster. That’s because it’s highly glycemic. This means it’s quick to digest and expedites the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps you sleep.

Remember to feed your child these foods in captivating and user-friendly baby dishware, like Abbie’s® Octopod® bamboo or silicone suction dishes. These bowls and plates feature Octopus-like suction cups on their bottoms to keep the dishes in place no matter how animated your little eater is (no more plate frisbees!).

2. Keep Your Child’s Clothes Dry and Clean

Another way to keep your baby on their sleep schedule during the holidays is to keep them clean and comfortable. This means dressing them in breathable fabrics to prevent sweating and ensuring their diaper is dry and clean before you put them down to sleep. Ensure their PJs or onesie is clean, too, as soiled clothing may lead to poor sleep by making your child feel insecure and agitated. Quality sleep is essential for boosting your child’s immunity, cognition, and hormone regulation.

Using bibs at mealtime is an easy way to keep your child’s clothes and skin clean this Christmas. Abiie’s® Ruby Wrapp® bibs are food grade silicone bibs that are easy to clean, soft, and ergonomic, making them comfortable for sensitive necks. Your baby will appreciate the cleaner clothing this yuletide season, and you’ll enjoy the fact that these bibs make post-mealtime cleanup a breeze.

3. Introduce Sleep-Inducing Activities 

Are you searching for another way to keep your baby on their sleep schedule this Christmas? Introducing relaxing activities can help your baby get adequate sleep during the holidays. Let your child wind down before naptime or bedtime by giving them a puzzle to play with. Puzzles can be soothing, offering the same benefits as meditation since they stimulate the mind and may decrease your child’s blood pressure and stress levels. Sensory toys, like slime, also help regulate children’s nervous systems, making these objects perfect for facilitating mental and physical relaxation in your child this holiday season.

A high chair like the Abiie® Beyond Junior® Y High Chair can be the perfect spot for introducing activities to keep your baby on their sleep schedule. This comfortable high chair can be adjusted in less than 20 seconds. The chair will also grow with your child, lasting from infancy to adulthood, so you can expect it to be their go-to activity spot for years to come.

4. Carry Them

Yet another way to keep your baby on their sleep schedule during the holidays is to carry them around. Do you plan to check out the Christmas lights downtown, meet Santa in the mall, or take in a local Christmas parade with family and friends? Don’t let the fun ruin your baby’s sleep during the holidays. A carrier like the Abiie® Huggs® Baby Carrier will help them experience the magic of the holidays everywhere you go while giving them a place to get their Z’s on the go.

Suppose you plan to fly to see loved ones this Christmas. Try to book your flight around your child’s naptime and let your child sleep in their carrier as you move from point A to point B. This may make navigating the airport mayhem easier for you and them.

Carriers can make babies feel like they’re resting in their mother’s womb, making them feel secure. A carrier also provides continuous movement, which may further soothe your little one. Being close to your chest if you wear the carrier in front will allow your child to feel your heartbeat and hear your breaths, further calming them down.

5. Give Yourself Grace

Don’t criticize yourself if Baby struggles to sleep during the holidays. Remember that the holidays happen only once a year, and you’ll be spending time with family you don’t see often or doing activities you won’t do again for another 12 months. It’s okay if you can’t keep your baby on their sleep schedule 100% of the time this Christmas. Try to keep your child’s nap times consistent each day, and make their sleep environment as comfortable as possible (e.g., dark, cool, and quiet with the help of a noise machine), but be flexible. You’ll soon be able to return your child to their regular sleep schedule once the Christmas craze is over.

Keep Baby on Their Sleep Schedule With Help From Abiie

At Abiie®, we’re excited to offer children’s products to help keep your baby on their sleep schedule. Take advantage of our baby carrier, high chair, suction dishes, and silicone bibs to help your baby sleep during the holidays. Shop now!